Part 7

Mung Beans: Sweet in taste and cool in nature, they clear heat and detoxify, relieve summer heat and thirst, and promote diuresis and reduce swelling. It is known that every 100 grams of mung beans contain 21.2–21.8 grams of protein, 0.8–1.5 grams of fat, 17.5–19 grams of carbohydrates, 5.2–5.8 grams of dietary fiber, 15.5 milligrams of calcium, 4.7 milligrams of phosphorus, 6.3 milligrams of iron, 0.18 milligrams of carotene, 0.14 milligrams of riboflavin, 12.98 milligrams of potassium, and 2.4 milligrams of niacin. The protein mainly consists of globulin, and amino acids such as leucine and methionine can complement each other, making its nutritional value very high. Due to its saponin content, it has lipid-lowering effects. Mung bean soup can also lower intraocular pressure. Jujubes: Sweet in taste, fresh jujubes are cool while dried ones are warm. They strengthen the spleen and stomach, tonify qi and blood, nourish the five internal organs, and serve as a major flavoring and stomach-protecting ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. They are also one of the main medicinal guides in TCM. Their vitamin C content is the highest among fruits, dozens of times higher than that of pears, with up to 6–12 grams of vitamin C per kilogram of fresh jujubes. They also have a high content of vitamin P (rutin), which helps soften blood vessels and prevent arteriosclerosis, effectively preventing and treating hypertension. They are also effective for allergic purpura and thrombocytopenia. Pumpkin: Sweet in taste and warm in nature, it tonifies the middle jiao and replenishes qi, reduces inflammation and relieves pain. It contains citrulline, arginine, aspartic acid, trigonelline, fats, glucose, sucrose, pentosans, and mannitol. It treats hypertension, prevents stroke, lubricates the intestines and promotes bowel movements, and can even treat prostate enlargement. Roasted pumpkin seeds have the effect of strengthening blood vessels, promoting circulation, and protecting liver and kidney function. Radish: Spicy and sweet in taste, cool in nature, it eliminates food stagnation, transforms phlegm-heat, and relaxes the middle and lower jiao. It treats diabetes, combats aging, and aids digestion. It is rich in glucose, sucrose, fructose, and vitamin C. Since it does not contain oxalic acid, it is a good source of calcium, which is especially important for hypertensive patients who often lack calcium. It also contains radish glucosinolates. Drinking its juice can prevent the formation of stones. 2. Medicinal cuisine is an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine, formed according to the principles of "medicine and food share the same origin," "medicine and food share the same rationale," and "medicine and food are used together." This is a unique therapeutic approach that combines medical treatment with nutrition, embedding prevention within diet and extending life through dietary practices. Its content is extremely rich. Medicinal cuisine involves adding traditional Chinese herbs to food. Broadly speaking, any food with medicinal effects can be called medicinal cuisine. Medicinal cuisine has a long history, dating back to ancient times. Even in the classic medical text "The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" from the Warring States period, there are prescriptions such as "Xia Shuimi (red sorghum) soup." In the "Discourses on Salt and Iron" from the Western Han Dynasty, there are recipes like "goji berry and pork soup" and "chives stir-fried with eggs." Zhang Zhongjing of the Eastern Han Dynasty, later revered as the "Sage of Medicine," recorded "angelica and ginger lamb soup," which can be considered a representative example of medicinal cuisine. Lamb is sweet in taste and warm in nature, benefiting qi and replenishing deficiency, warming the middle jiao and lower burner, treating weakness and emaciation, and alleviating lower back and knee soreness. Angelica supplements blood and removes gamey odor; when combined, they both tonify qi and blood. Ginger stimulates appetite and aids digestion without being greasy, making it the best home remedy for winter. "Shanghan Lun" is the ancestor of classical prescriptions, with the first formula being "Guizhi Tang" (cinnamon twig, white peony, ginger, licorice, and jujube)—all five ingredients are commonly used seasonings. Besides being suitable for common colds in women, children, and the elderly, this formula can also be seen as the best medicinal cuisine for dispersing yang and consolidating yin, benefiting the stomach and harmonizing the middle jiao. Therefore, other foods can be added according to personal preference to create various medicinal dishes. Chinese medicinal cuisine has spread all over the world, with numerous medicinal cuisine restaurants in Japan and Southeast Asia. On the streets of Paris, you can eat Chinese mung bean pancakes; Italian restaurants serve mushroom rice and rhubarb wine; and American gin is made from angelica and cypress seeds. Due to the severe side effects of chemically synthesized drugs and widespread global pollution, there is a growing trend of returning to nature. Therefore, green medicines are being promoted, and medicinal cuisine is being vigorously developed. In this regard, China has a natural advantage. Below are some popular varieties of medicinal cuisine in China. (1) Cold Salad with Prickly Ash: Ingredients: prickly ash and celery. Prickly ash is also known as zha peng ke, san cha ming ke, zhu mao ying, and zhu mao cai, among others. It grows all over the country, thriving in saline-alkali lands, beaches, roadsides, and around homes. It is sweet in taste and cool in nature. Pharmacological experiments show it has blood-pressure-lowering effects, treating hypertension and headaches. Preparation: Take 250 grams of tender prickly ash, remove the roots and stems, and 250 grams of celery, cut them into sections, briefly blanch in boiling water, then quickly remove and arrange on a plate. Add appropriate amounts of sesame oil, sesame paste, vinegar, and a pinch of salt for seasoning. The dish is delicious and appetizing. (2) Cold Salad with Jellyfish: Ingredients: jellyfish and celery. Jellyfish is salty in taste and neutral in nature. It clears heat, transforms phlegm, eliminates food stagnation, and lubricates the intestines. Every 100 grams contains 12.3 grams of protein, 0.1 gram of fat, 4 grams of carbohydrates, 182 milligrams of calcium, trace amounts of phosphorus, 9.5 milligrams of iron, 0.01 milligram of thiamine, 0.04 milligram of riboflavin, and 0.2 milligram of niacin. Each kilogram of dried jellyfish contains 2,320 micrograms of iodine. It has vasodilatory and blood-pressure-lowering effects, clinically treating hypertension at all stages. Preparation: Take 120 grams of fresh jellyfish, soak and wash it in warm water, then slice it into strips. Wash and slice 250 grams of celery; briefly blanch in boiling water, then mix with the jellyfish strips. Add appropriate amounts of sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, ginger shreds, and a pinch of salt, and mix well. (3) Cold Salad with Three Strands: Ingredients: radish, kelp, and celery. Radish is also known as white radish, spicy and sweet in taste, cool in nature. It contains glucose, sucrose, fructose, and vitamin C. This product does not contain oxalic acid, making it a good source of calcium. Many Chinese people suffer from hypertension, and besides other factors, this is also related to long-term diets high in sodium and low in calcium. This product helps eliminate food stagnation, transform phlegm-heat, relax the middle jiao, aid digestion, combat aging, fight cancer, and invigorate the bloodstream. Kelp is salty in taste and cold in nature. It contains 21.2% crude fiber, 17% nitrogen, 4.81% protein, 1.2% fat, and 8.82% pentosans. It also contains fucoxanthin, which includes galacturonic acid, galactose, arabinose, xylose, and vitamin B₂, but its iodine content is not as high as seaweed. It has the effects of softening hard masses, eliminating phlegm, promoting diuresis, and relieving heat. It lowers blood pressure and lipids. Preparation: Take 130 grams of radish, wash and slice it into strips; take 200 grams of rehydrated kelp and slice it into strips; take 100 grams of celery, wash and slice it into sections, then briefly blanch in boiling water and quickly remove. Combine the three strands and add appropriate seasonings. (4) Water Chestnut and Kelp Soup (Snow Soup): Water chestnuts are also known as lotus root, sweet in taste and cold in nature. They contain crude protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin C, among others. They clear heat, cool the blood, promote diuresis, facilitate bowel movements, transform phlegm, and detoxify. Used for all stages of hypertension. Preparation: Take 150 grams of fresh water chestnuts, wash and peel them, then slice them; take 10 grams of jellyfish, wash and chop it up, then cook them together to make soup. (5) Kelp and Soybean Soup: Ingredients: kelp and soybeans. Soybeans are sweet in taste and neutral in nature. They contain fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamin B₁, and niacin. The protein content per 100 grams is 35 grams (compared to 12.7 grams in eggs, 21.7 grams in lean meat, and 25 grams in peanuts). From this comparison, we can see how nutritious soybeans are. Preparation: Take 10 grams of kelp and 100 grams of soybeans, simmer them in soup, add a pinch of salt and appropriate sugar, and enjoy the meal. (6) Kelp, Seaweed, and Lean Meat Soup: Ingredients: kelp, seaweed, and lean meat. Kelp is salty in taste and cold in nature. It contains protein, iodine, amino acids, kelp extract, alginate, carotene, vitamin B₁, and vitamin B₂, among others. It has the effects of clearing heat, softening hard masses, dispersing goiters, and promoting diuresis. Pharmacologically, it lowers blood pressure. Preparation: Take 60 grams of dried kelp and 30 grams of dried seaweed, rehydrate and wash them, then slice the lean meat into 120 grams, and cook them together to make soup. It both lowers blood pressure and supplements protein, enhancing nutrition. (7) Big Cloud Mushroom Soup: Ingredients: big cloud, mushrooms, and jujubes. Big cloud is also known as cistanche, sweet and sour in taste, warm in nature. It tonifies the kidneys and enriches essence, moistens dryness and lubricates the intestines, lowers blood pressure, treats blood-deficiency constipation, and regulates menstruation. Mushrooms are bitter in taste and neutral in nature. Every 100 grams contains 1.8 grams of fat, 7.8 grams of crude fiber, 2.5 milligrams of iron, 0.07 milligrams of vitamin B₁, 1.13 milligrams of vitamin B₂, and 18.9 milligrams of niacin. It contains more than ten essential amino acids for the human body. It benefits stomach qi, tonifies qi and blood, and lowers lipids. Treats hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and other diseases. Preparation: Take 30 grams of big cloud, 60 grams of mushrooms, and 10 jujubes, simmer them in soup, and drink the broth. Suitable for hypertensive patients with liver and kidney deficiency or blood-deficiency constipation. (8) Kudzu, Poria, and Mung Bean Soup: Ingredients: kudzu, poria, and mung beans. Kudzu is sweet and spicy in taste, neutral in nature. It contains isoflavones such as kudzu glycoside, kudzu xylidone, soybean flavonoids, soybean flavonoid glycosides, β-sitosterol, and peanut acid. Dried kudzu contains 37% starch, and kudzu powder was once one of the ingredients in infant formula, with effects of lifting yang and relaxing muscles, relieving irritability and quenching thirst, increasing blood flow to the heart and brain, lowering blood sugar, reducing fever, treating hypertension, and alleviating neck stiffness and angina in hypertensive patients. Poria is sweet and mild in taste, neutral in nature. Its effects include draining dampness and promoting diuresis, strengthening the spleen and stomach, calming the mind and soothing the spirit, promoting diuresis, and lowering blood sugar. It treats hypertension. Mung beans are sweet in taste and cold in nature. They clear heat and detoxify, relieve summer heat and thirst, contain multiple vitamins and high-quality protein, making them highly nutritious foods that lower lipids. Preparation: Take 30 grams of kudzu powder, 60 grams of poria, grind them into powder, sieve them, and cook them with 100 grams of mung beans to make soup. This is the best summer diet for hypertensive patients. (9) Double-Ear Poria Soup: Ingredients: black fungus, white fungus, poria, and rock sugar. Black fungus is sweet in taste and neutral in nature. It contains protein, fat, crude fiber, calcium, phosphorus, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and mannitol. Its phospholipids are mainly lecithin and cephalin. It has the effects of cooling the blood, stopping bleeding, tonifying qi, resisting hunger, and invigorating the blood. White fungus is sweet and mild in taste, cool in nature. It nourishes yin, moistens the lungs, nourishes the stomach, and generates fluids. Its composition differs from that of black fungus. Preparation: Take 10 grams each of black and white fungus, wash and rehydrate them, then chop them up; take 20 grams of poria and 10 grams of rock sugar, add appropriate amounts of water, and cook them together to make soup. This soup has the effect of preventing senile arteriosclerosis and treating hypertension and retinal hemorrhage. Diabetics should not add sugar. (10) Kudzu and Alisma Porridge: Ingredients: kudzu and alisma. Alisma is sweet in taste and cold in nature. It promotes diuresis, drains dampness, relieves heat, lowers blood pressure, and lowers blood sugar. It also has the effect of regulating lipid metabolism. Preparation: Take 50 grams of kudzu and 50 grams of alisma, boil them together to extract the water, then use that water to cook 50 grams of glutinous rice into porridge. This dish is suitable for patients with high blood lipids and moderate to severe hypertension. (11) Astragalus Stewed Crucian Carp: Ingredients: astragalus and crucian carp. Preparation: Take 30 grams of astragalus and 1 crucian carp weighing about 120 grams, gut and scale it, then stew it in astragalus-infused water, adding minced ginger and other seasonings. (12) Tomato Braised Beef: Ingredients: tomato and beef. Tomatoes are sweet and sour in taste, slightly cold in nature. They are rich in vitamin A and vitamin C, generate fluids and quench thirst, strengthen the stomach and aid digestion, treat loss of appetite, lower blood pressure, and reduce cholesterol. Preparation: Take 3 medium-sized tomatoes and 200 grams of high-quality beef, add your favorite seasonings, but keep the amount of salt low. (13) Sichuan Pepper Braised Duck: Ingredients: Sichuan pepper and duck. Sichuan pepper is spicy and fragrant, warm in nature. It moves qi, dispels depression, invigorates the blood and relieves pain, lowers blood pressure, and treats angina. Preparation: Take 1 duck, clean it thoroughly as usual, then add 15 grams of Sichuan pepper and appropriate seasonings to braise it. (14) Astragalus Braised Pumpkin: Ingredients: astragalus and pumpkin. Pumpkin is sweet in taste and warm in nature. It tonifies the middle jiao, replenishes qi, and lubricates the bowels. It contains glutamic acid, arginine, aspartic acid, trigonelline, fats, sucrose, pentosans, and mannitol, among others. Treats hypertension and stroke. Preparation: Take 300 grams of pumpkin and 30 grams of astragalus, add appropriate seasonings, and eat it plain. Suitable for hypertensive patients with high blood sugar or constipation. (15) Corn Silk Tea: Ingredients: corn silk and tea leaves. Corn silk is sweet in taste and neutral in nature. It contains 2.5% fatty oils, 0.12% volatile oils, ascorbic acid, vitamin K, pantothenic acid, inositol, sterols, malic acid, and other substances. It promotes diuresis, stops bleeding, relieves heat, calms the liver, promotes bile flow, lowers blood pressure, lowers blood sugar, treats nephritis and edema, hypertension, and beriberi. Tea leaves are mild in taste and neutral in nature. They promote diuresis, fossilize, and clear the urinary tract. They are particularly effective for renal hypertension. Preparation: Take 30 grams of corn silk and 30 grams of tea leaves, brew them into tea, and drink frequently. (16) Chrysanthemum and Jujube Tea: Ingredients: chrysanthemum and jujube. Chrysanthemums are sweet in taste, fragrant, and cool in nature. They clear the liver, improve eyesight, detoxify, generate fluids, quench thirst, dilate coronary arteries, increase blood flow, slow down the heart rate, and protect the blood vessels in the retina. Both Huai chrysanthemums and Hangzhou chrysanthemums are suitable. Preparation: Take 15 grams of chrysanthemums and 6 jujubes, cut them open, and brew them into tea, drinking it frequently. Suitable for hypertensive patients with tachycardia. (17) Locust Flower Tea: Ingredients: locust flowers. Ideally, locust flowers should be locust buds, referring to Chinese locust trees. There is also a type called black locust (not the spring-blooming acacia, often called foreign locust). They are sweet in taste, fragrant, and cool in nature. They contain vitamin P and other substances, which help soften blood vessels and treat vascular sclerosis and hypertension. Preparation: Brew 10 grams of locust flowers each time, and the color, fragrance, and taste will all be excellent. (18) Chrysanthemum-Locust Two-Flower Tea: Ingredients: chrysanthemums and locust flowers. Preparation: Brew 10 grams of chrysanthemums and 10 grams of locust flowers. (19) Hawthorn, Lotus Leaf, and Jujube Tea: Ingredients: raw hawthorn, lotus leaf, and jujube. Hawthorn is sweet and sour in taste, slightly warm in nature. It contains tartaric acid, citric acid, hawthorn acid, flavonoids, lactones, sugars, and glycosides. It aids digestion, eliminates meat accumulation, lowers lipids, dilates blood vessels, and has the effect of lowering blood pressure. Lotus leaves are slightly bitter and astringent, neutral in nature. They clear summer heat, promote diuresis, uplift yang energy, treat dizziness and headwind, help reduce fat and lose weight, and lower blood pressure. Preparation: Take 3 raw hawthorns (10 dried ones), 15 fresh lotus leaves, and 5 jujubes, and brew them into tea. (20) Goji Leaf and Hawthorn Tea: Ingredients: goji leaves and hawthorn. Goji leaves are bitter and sweet in taste, cool in nature. They contain betaine, rutin, vitamin C, and various amino acids. They tonify the kidneys and improve eyesight, lower cholesterol, prevent arteriosclerosis, and lower blood pressure. Goji berries grow wild all over the country, in ravines, plains, and along roadsides. Hebei Province and other areas have made them a major component of courtyard economies. The bark of their roots is called di gu pi. Goji leaves are already cultivated as vegetables in Guangzhou and other places. Preparation: Take 20 grams of fresh goji leaves and 5 grams of hawthorn slices, and brew them into tea. (21) Three-Leaf Tea: Ingredients: mulberry leaves, persimmon leaves, and ginkgo leaves. Mulberry leaves harvested after frost are called frost mulberry leaves. They are bitter, sweet, cold in nature, dispel wind, clear heat, cool the blood, and improve eyesight. Treat rheumatism, fever, and headache. They contain rutin, quercetin, sucrose, glucose, fructose, various amino acids, vitamin C, vitamin B₁, as well as trace elements such as copper, zinc, calcium, and manganese. Pharmacologically, they have anti-diabetic effects. Persimmon leaves are bitter and cold in nature. They treat various types of bleeding, including retinal hemorrhage and thrombocytopenia. Ginkgo leaves are sweet, bitter, and astringent, neutral in nature. They benefit the heart and lungs, lower lipids, and treat chest tightness, coronary heart disease, and angina. Preparation: Take 15 grams of mulberry leaves, 10 grams of persimmon leaves, and 10 grams of ginkgo leaves, boil them together to make soup, and drink the soup instead of tea. Suitable for those with the "three highs" (high blood pressure, high blood lipids, high blood sugar). (22) Lotus Seed Heart and Jujube Kernel Tea: Ingredients: lotus seed heart and jujube kernel. Lotus seed heart is bitter and cool in nature. It strengthens the heart, calms the spirit, clears fire, and lowers blood pressure. Jujube kernel is sweet and neutral in nature. It contains a large amount of fatty oils and proteins, two kinds of sterols, and a relatively high amount of vitamin C. It nourishes the liver and calms the spirit, and helps control sweating. It treats insomnia, palpitations, and anxiety. Preparation: Take 10 grams of raw jujube kernels, crush them, mix with 1 gram of lotus seed heart, and brew them into tea. Suitable for hypertensive patients with insomnia and restlessness. Traditionally, it is said that roasting jujube kernels calms the spirit, but in fact, the effect weakens after roasting, and the effective components are fatty oils. (23) Lotus-Sand Tea: Ingredients: lotus leaves and frost mulberry leaves. Preparation: Take 15 grams of lotus leaves and 15 grams of frost mulberry leaves, and brew them into tea. (24) Plantain Root Tea: Ingredients: fresh plantain and fresh white grass root. Plantain is sweet in taste and cold in nature. It promotes diuresis, clears heat, eliminates phlegm, improves eyesight, and has the effects of supplementing blood, promoting diuresis, and relieving cough. White grass root is sweet in taste and cold in nature. It cools the blood, stops bleeding, clears heat and promotes diuresis, treating nephritis and edema. Preparation: Take 60 grams of fresh plantain and 60 grams of fresh white grass root, boil them together to make tea, suitable for those with renal hypertension and renal arteriosclerosis. (Eight) Physical Therapy